Melvern is a city in Osage County,

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States, along the

Marais des Cygnes River The Marais des Cygnes River ( , ) is a principal tributary of the Osage River, about long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 31, 2011 in eastern Kansas and western Miss ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 356.

History

Melvern was laid out in 1870. It was named after the

Malvern Hills The Malvern Hills are in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside and the towns and villages of the district of Malvern. The highest summit af ...

, in

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The first post office in Melvern was established in June 1870. In 2004, the city was in the headlines after it was revealed that Lisa Montgomery brought a baby back to her house in this city, after she had murdered the baby's mother and crudely removed the baby from the womb.

Geography

Melvern is located at (38.507446, -95.638332). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

Melvern is part of the

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeastern Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2020 cen ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 356 people, 151 households, and 92 families in Melvern. The population density was 1,000.0 per square mile (386.1/km). There were 180 housing units at an average density of 505.6 per square mile (195.2/km). The racial makeup was 91.57% (326)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(91.01%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 0.28% (1)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 0.56% (2) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.0% (0) Asian, 0.0% (0)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

, 0.84% (3) from other races, and 6.74% (24) from

two or more races Multiracial Americans, also known as mixed-race Americans, are Americans who have mixed ancestry of two or more races. The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf. t ...

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 1.69% (6) of the population. Of the 151 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18; 38.4% were married couples living together; 27.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 30.5% of households consisted of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 9.3% of the population. 25.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 21.1% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 105.4 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $45,938 (with a margin of error of +/- $14,323) and the median family income was $51,042 (+/- $11,061). Males had a median income of $33,281 (+/- $14,979) versus $23,125 (+/- $10,185) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $30,714 (+/- $12,634). Approximately, 12.0% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 19.1% of those under the age of 18 and 11.1% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 385 people, 159 households, and 109 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 184 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.3%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population. There were 159 households, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age in the city was 40.8 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 19.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 429 people, 173 households, and 120 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 202 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.14%

, 0.70% Native American, 0.23% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population. There were 173 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were

living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,321, and the median income for a family was $50,833. Males had a median income of $30,313 versus $17,143 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,206. About 5.3% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the

, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Marais des Cygnes Valley USD 456 public school district. The district high school is Marais des Cygnes Valley High School. Mascot is Trojans. Prior to school unification, the Melvern High School mascot was Panthers. The Melvern Panthers won the Kansas State High School boys class B basketball championship in 1962.

Parks and Recreation

* Melvern Lake

Notable People

* Lisa Montgomery-murdered a pregnant woman and stole her baby from the womb to produce a baby after faking a pregnancy

References

External links

City of Melvern

Melvern - Directory of Public Officials

Melvern city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Osage County, Kansas Topeka metropolitan area, Kansas